Truck won't start

E

Excursion

Inactive
What a great idea Dennis in starting this forum. I don't know anything about autos. I've been gone for 2 weeks and came home and my truck won't start.
The battery is ok, it seems that it isn't get any spark or maybe no gas. I'm not sure.
I was thinking maybe a carb. cleaner and spraying it, but I don't have too many options.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreated.
Thanks,
Joe
 
E

Excursion

Inactive
Opus,
It was running fine before I left. It had not been started in 2 weeks. It has 140,000 miles and is a chev. 4x4. 1992. Thanks for your help.
Joe
 
O

Opus Dei

Inactive
I take it that the motor is spinning over, just not catching? Maybe the cold start sensor? Injectors bled down? Weak fuel pump/dirty pump?

Do the trick where you pull a plug wire, and insert a screwdriver into the wire end; and hold it close to the exhaust manifold (1/2" clearance or less) while someone cranks it. If you have spark to there, pull a plug to see if they're fouled.

I'm not really familiar with GM vehicles that new. Is there a Schrader valve (like an air valve) on the fuel system? You could test for pressure static and when cranking.
 
Green Co.

Green Co.

Administrator
_______________
Maybe not so dumb, WB. GM vehicles, when set up a while, tend to loose pressure in the fuel system. Sometimes some trash will settle in the fuel filter (mounted on the frame, beneath the driver's seat) and plug it. In cold country, any condensation may have accumulated in the electric pump in the tank, frozen, & broken an impeller.

Crack the fuel line that feeds into the throttle body, have someone momentarily turn the switch on. You should hear a hum from the fuel tank, & have gasoline leaking from the cracked fuel line.

If that's not the problem, & you are getting spark as Opus Dei outlined, time to find someone with a GM diagnostic computer.
 
Hamilton Felix

Hamilton Felix

Inactive
Dad always said start with the cheap/simple things.

I see you're getting some good advice here. Yep, start with the simple things.

Is it getting spark?

At the plugs, or just to the distributor?

Is it getting fuel?

Are the plugs themselves OK? I recall "thawing out" an Alfa Romeo about twenty years ago, in zero temps in Spokane. It had been flooded in various efforts to start it. New plugs and a somewhat warmed garage made a big difference. Just the other day, a new plug made a big difference in starting a 10 hp Briggs on a generator that had sat for a while.

Good Luck.
 
N

north runner

Membership Revoked
Maybe someone sabotaged it while you were gone. Did you check the firing order and see if there's a roter under the dist cap?

Right Hamiliton, it floods and the automatic choke is closed. Unless you takeoff the aircleaner and open it manually it'll never start. That's how people kill their battery, especially when its cold outside.

Occasionally I've tried to start my gen and flooded it. I've had to take the plug out and dry it off. An odd thing happened on my Yamaha gen with electric start one time. I kept trying to start it with the key but no luck. Finally in one last try I used the backup pull start ...and it fired right up. Most of my stuff has backup pull start, sled atv generator snowblower.
 
W

wrench

Inactive
Jo,

If the engine is flooded, there is a neat program in the Fuel Injection software. Just hold the pedal to the floor while cranking, this shuts off the injectors and allows the flooded condition to clear.

Normally the "hold it to the floor and crank" only works on carburated engines, GM had this added to the FI system.

Only will help you if you are flooded.....
 
E

Excursion

Inactive
Thanks for all your help. But an incredible thing happened this morning. I decided to try it one more time, and it fired right up and has been running fine all day.
Thank you all again for all the expert advice,
God bless,
Joe
 
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